This invention relates to the field of automotive car top carriers.
In another respect, the invention relates to a car top carrier having an integral weather-protective cover to protect the load being transported.
In still another respect, the invention relates to a self-loading car top carrier capable of raising and lowering a load from and to ground level at operator command.
In yet another respect, the invention relates to a car top carrier particularly adapted for the transport of a foldable wheelchair utilized by either the driver or a passenger in the motor vehicle to which the car top carrier is affixed.
In another important respect, the invention relates to a self-loading, weather-protected, car top carrier having provision to both fold a foldable wheelchair and to move it from the ground to a transit position within said car top carrier atop the motor vehicle.
The prior art discloses various expedients for raising a load from ground level to car top height and storing it there for transit in a weather-protective cover. Many such carriers are particularly adapted for the transport of a foldable wheelchair such as used by many handicapped people today. In this respect, particular attention is called to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,823,839; 3,878,955; 4,039,096 and 4,134,509. While all of the various devices disclosed in each of these references will allow a handicapped person to transport a wheelchair, it is believed that the teachings herein provide advantages not found in any one nor in all of the references cited. For example, the "839" reference requires the raising and lowering of a six-sided container, closed on four sides, into which the handicapped person must insert the wheelchair prior to having it raised to roof top level. Further, the use of a rack and pinion gear drive is there advocated. Such rack and pinion drives are quite expensive and require critical tolerances be maintained in order that they may work properly.
The "096" reference provides a channeled platform onto which the handicapped person must maneuver the folded wheelchair. A winch and pulley arrangement is used to raise and lower the platform. The use of a hydraulic cylinder is advocated to prevent the channeled platform . . . "from falling with great force against the side of the motor vehicle or against the sidewalk."
The "955" lowers the entire weather-protective enclosure from the top of the car to the sidewalk to encase the folded wheelchair. The wheelchair and the weather-protective enclosure are then transported back to the top of the car. One side of the enclosure remains open with the possible exception of providing a cloth cover, the use of which would be beyond the capabilities of most handicapped operators.
The "025" co-pending application reference makes use of an inclined plane which is somewhat wasteful of space and utilizes various spring-loading devices to raise or lock in place various elements of the device.
It would be highly desirable to provide a self-loading car top carrier which avoids the disadvantages apparent in the prior art. It would be particularly desirable to provide a self-loading car top carrier which simplifies the effort required of a handicapped person to load and unload his wheelchair.
Accordingly, a principal object of the invention is to provide a simplified self-loading weather-protected car top carrier system.
Another principal object of the invention is to provide a drive mechanism having the advantages of a rack and pinion drive but avoiding the cost generally associated with conventional rack and pinion manufacture and device tolerance maintenance.
Another principal object of the invention is to provide improved self-loading car top carrier system which avoids the use of spring loads or hydraulic damping devices. It is a still further and more specific object of the invention to provide overload protected drive systems not subject to damage when controlled by persons who may be handicapped and inept in the control of mechanical devices.
It is a still further and more specific object of the invention to provide a weather-protected, self-loading, car top carrier, which because of the simplicity of its design, will be inexpensive and yet reliable and which can be rapidly installed on a conventional motor vehicle by persons or ordinary mechanical skill, using simple readily available hand tools.